Softening agent



Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,047,066 SOFTENING AGENT Eugen Glietenberg, Leverkusen, near Cologne-onthe-Rhine,

Germany, assignor, by mesne as-,.

signments, to General Aniline Works, Inc., New

York, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application June 5, 1931, Serial N0.

The present invention relates to softening of cellulosic fibers, that is artificial silk and cotton, with the aid of water-soluble salts of aliphatic primary or secondary aminomonocarboxylic acids containing higher saturated or unsaturated fatty acid radicals as substituents attached to the nitrogen atom.

By fatty acids of a high molecular weight I mean fatty acids containing at least 8 carbon .atoms in the molecule. The softening agents cor respond to the probable general formula:

IE1 RCO-N-Rz-COOX wherein R stand for an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical which contains at least 7 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated, R1 means an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical such as an alkyl or a cycloalkyl group, for instance, CH: or CzHs, R2 represents a methylene group which may be substituted, and X stands for hydrogen, ammonium (NH4) or a metallic equivalent.

' Such products are, for instance, stearyl-sar-.

cosine of the formula:

and oleyl-sarcosine of the which, in the form of its sodium salt, is a soap-- like colorless substance soluble in water.

These condensation products are obtainable in the usual manner by causing a saturated or unsaturated higher fatty acid of the kind referred to above or a derivative thereof to react upon an aliphatic amino-monocarboxylic acid containing a primary or secondary aminogroup or a salt thereof... The process itself can also be carried out with the halides, anhydrides or esters of the above mentioned fatty acids in the ,most varied In Germany July 18, 1930 8 Claims. (01. 252 1) manners. If, in the condensation, a. mixture of different saturated or unsaturated fatty acids of a high molecular weight is employed, valuable mixtures of condensation products are obtained. \1 The softening agents represent, in the form of 5 their alkali metal salts, colorless or weakly colored soap-like substances being soluble in water with a great frothing capacity. Contrary to the usual soaps of higher fatty acids the new courpounds show a better solubility in waterand a 10 greater stability to acid reagents. They are particularly distinguished by the fact that their alkali metal salts show a good softening effect on {artificial silk. j

The following examples will illustrate the present invention but without limiting it thereto; the

parts are by weight.

Example 1.Viscose is dyed in a bath heated to 80 C. with 1% of Benzoblue 2B (Colour Index,

first edition Jan. 1924; page 104, No. 406) 10% of sodium'sulfate and 0.25 grams per liter of stearyl sarcosine (sodium salt). The addition of stearyl-sarcosine gives a soft touch to the silk. Likewise, the softening agent can be' added to the last rinsing.bath instead of being added to the dyeing bath. p

Ezample 2.Vis cose is dyed in a bath heated to 80-85" C. with 1% of Benzo fast red GL (Schultz 1923, 2nd volume, page 18)'.- 20% of sodium sulfate and 2% of the condensation product from so stearyl chloride and the sodium salt of butylfamine-acetic acid of the formula:

CHz-OHi-QHrOHi The addition of this stearic acid derivative imparts a soft touch to the-viscose.

Example 3.A'qu ite similar effect is produced 40 by replacing the stearyl-sarcosine of Example .1

by palmityl-sarcosine.

I claim:

' 1. The process which comprises acting on eellulosic fibers with condensation products of the probable general formula;

.R-C o rt-nr-o o ox' wherein R stands for an aliphatic hydrocarbon radicalwhich contains at least ,7 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated, R1 means an alkyl or cycloalkyl radical, R2 represents a methylene radical which may be substituted, and X stands for hydrogen, ammoniumor a metallic equivalent.

2. The process which comprises acting on cellulosic fibers with condensation products of the probable general formula:

wherein R stands for an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing at least 7 carbon atoms/R1 means a cycloalkyl group, and X stands for an alkali metal.

3. The process which comprises acting on artificial 'silk' and cotton fibers with condensation products of the probable general formula:

wherein R stands for an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing at least? carbon atoms, and X represents an alkali metal. I

4. The process which comprises acting on artificial silk and cotton fibersiwith the sodium salt of stearyl-sarcosine 5. A cellulosic textile material impregnated with a stearyl sarcosine alkali metal salt.

8. A- viscose artificial silk material impregnated with a stearyl sarcosine alkali metal salt.

EUGEN GLIE'I'ENBERG. 

